EverGreen Escapes: Adventure Hub

by Shona Milne on December 27, 2013

EverGreen Escapes Finances New “Adventure Hub” for the Community, by the Community

Seattle– EverGreen Escapes has been exploring and sharing the Pacific Northwest and other experiential destinations around the planet since 2006. After years of engaging and consulting “escapists” in a conference room or at a local coffee shop, they have decided to create an innovative “Adventure Hub,” a place where travelers can congregate, educate, learn, share, network, and plan extraordinary adventures in their own backyard and beyond. The company is financing this new and innovative take on the traditional travel agency or store with the help of Community Sourced Capital, a local finance company that helps small businesses borrow money directly from people in their own community.

“Our appreciation for the power of travel goes beyond just running a profitable business, we are a purpose-driven group of travel professionals that take an immense amount of pride in designing and providing transformational travel experiences,” says Jake Haupert, Founder of EverGreen Escapes. “It is with this very fervor that this vision was born and it is with this inspiration that we’d like to create a space where visitors and local explorers alike come in, engage, find inspiration and take the first step in creating their next travel story. In our ‘hub,’ we’d like to invite curious and responsible explorers to come in, hang out, have a glass of Washington wine and rub shoulders with our Escape Artists in a more organic and authentic way.”

In addition to the on-site EverGreen Escapes staff, the Adventure Hub will be a place where other members of the travel industry collaborate with each other, dream up new itineraries and engage with the community through educational events, guest speakers, destination roadshows, workshops, and evening soirees like the “Escape Your Everyday” Adventure Travel Series. The Adventure Hub will welcome locals to come in and learn about global exploration as well as local opportunities, while visitors to Seattle can come in and see what Cascadia has to offer!

Community Sourced Capital’s innovative concept makes it easy for anyone to participate in financing this local “Adventure Hub” by investing in a “Square.” Squares can be purchased for $50 per unit, thus opening up this low-risk, feel-good opportunity to our community of ambassadors, past escapists, and other individuals who connect with the experience of travel.

“Squares themselves are simple loans and they act like this: you put $50 in and you get $50 out. It’s not an investment, it’s not a donation, it’s a right-sized mechanism for moving money to a business in your community while still getting paid back,” says Casey Dilloway, one of CSC’s co-founders.

Community Sourced Capital aggregates hundreds of Squares into a single loan for EverGreen Escapes and manages repayments and monthly updates back to their “Squareholders”. Instead of charging interest on loans, CSC charges flat fees to businesses using its lending system.

“Creating this Hub in the city of Seattle, as sustainably as possible really reflects the community we’re building it for,” says Eric Kocaja, General Manager of EverGreen Escapes. “We care greatly about the history and culture of a place, but we also care about leaving it a better place than we found it for future generations. We want this philosophy to be consistent in our business practices, our travel practices, and now our workplace too. This cannot happen without the support of our community from the very beginning. We’re really excited to get started and see how this grows.”

Community Sourced Capital has an exciting opportunity this holiday season to buy a “Square for your Stocking” by purchasing a physical Square to gift to someone that loves small businesses like EverGreen Escapes. Since launching its first loan this year, CSC has engaged over 1,000 Squareholders to fund $175,000 in loans for twelve small businesses in Washington. EverGreen Escapes’ campaign runs through the end of January. Find out more about the campaign at http://www.communitysourcedcapital.com/evergreen-escapes/ .

About EverGreen Escapes
EverGreen Escapes, a tour operator and preferred Virtuoso destination management company based in Seattle and Portland, blends nature, adventure and local epicurean indulgences into meaningful travel experiences throughout Cascadia and select destinations around the planet. Naturalist led small group and private adventures promise to inspire, educate and satisfy explorers from around the planet. Their unique itineraries blend nature, adventure, wildlife, local food, wine and brew into what they hope becomes a transformational travel experience. The company is passionate about partnering with only the most reputable, responsible and caring hotels, lodges, outfitters and tour companies. Partners must share in their commitment to providing exceptional experiences with a personal touch.